ARKHAM WEB I: Origins
by Theopholos Whenntooda
Summary: Peter Parker wakes up to find himself in a strange city called Gotham on Christmas Eve. Little does he know that in one night, he will have a price put on his head... and someone else as well.
1. Prologue

What da haps, playas?

I want to persue this idea, just for the fun of it. Basically, Arkham Origins, combined with Spider-Man. Should be fun, right? Also, pairings ideas are greatly appreciated. No slash, though, please.

Also, Killer Croc is not one of the Ten Assassins. Yes, Ten. Come on, it was too easy to add a few more. From Spidey's rogues gallery, no less.

So, enjoy! And I'll be continuing my Ultimate Teen Titans story alongside this one.

* * *

**ARKHAM WEB I**

**ORIGINS**

**Prologue**

* * *

Peter Parker's spider-sense went off.

He rolled out of his bed quickly, landing on the floor, clad only in his boxers, his body instantly tense and prepared for attack. But it had been a false alarm. There was no danger. He was completely alone, in his hotel room…

"Wait a sec," Peter said out loud. "Where am I?"

He looked around, realizing that he was not in his apartment in Manhattan, New York. He was in clearly a hotel room, and the only reason he knew it was his was because it looked cheap.

Peter walked to the window and looked out. He was relatively high up, on the sixth floor of whatever building he was in. But the street was completely unfamiliar to him. He, Peter Parker, who had grown up in Queens, knew every single street, alley, and walkway in the city. He spent quite a lot of time, after all, traversing the city with his web-slinging.

He was, after all, Spider-Man.

Glancing up, he saw high skyscrapers, with archaic gargoyles on some of the buildings. It was bleak and forbidding. The architecture of the city was changed… different.

Peter became aware of how cold he was. He closed the window, seeing the snow on the street.

_That's right… it's Christmas Eve today. But where am I? What happened last night?_

As far as he could remember, last night had been an ordinary, last-minute before the holidays villainy by some crooks that he had taken care of. Nothing major. He was planning on spending the evening with Aunt May, Mary Jane, and Harry. In fact, he and MJ were planning an intervention for Harry. They were afraid his drug use was getting out of hand.

_Gotta worry about that later. First, figure out where I am. No, first, get dressed, 'cuz it's cold._

* * *

**Peter found out the hotel he was staying in was called the Park Row Hotel, which confused him because he had never heard of Park Row before.**

But one thing he had ascertained. He wasn't in New York City. He was still in the state, but in a city he had never heard of before.

GothamCity. Home of the worst kind of crime in the nation. And, to Peter's knowledge, a city which had never existed until now.

_All the newspapers say Gotham Gazette, or Gotham Daily. The people are talking about it. I'm here. Why? Is this a trick? A hoax?_

The last, unpleasant alternative was that Peter was not in his universe. This mind-bending choice was plausible to him because he'd done it before. Admittedly, he had usually stayed within New York City or Manhattan. But this was new, unreal.

Suddenly, his cell phone rang. He looked at it, and answered.

"MJ?" he said.

_"Hey tiger. How's the black-hearted city?" _came the voice of one of his best friends. He gaped.

"What?" he asked, his mind racing.

_"Oh come on. Even though you just got there, you must have seen some horrific crime, right? That's what you're there for, isn't it?"_

"Is it?" Peter said, walking for the subway. "Yeah, it is. No, uh, I haven't seen much. Yet." He decided to not say much, and let MJ do the talking. Maybe he could figure out what was going on, and why she knew about Gotham.

_"Oh jeez. Your boss isn't going to be too happy. I mean, that's why you aren't spending Christmas with your family…"_

"Boss. Jameson. Yeah, I know," Peter said, latching onto something he could discuss. "But you know… I need the money."

_"So you volunteered to go and try to take pictures of a guy no one even knows exists?"_

"Yep, that's me," Peter said, growing more and more confused. "Doing the odd jobs. Listen, I gotta go, but tell Aunt May I love her. Harry too. Sorry we can't do the… thing."

_"That's all right. I'm hoping the general atmosphere might lift his spirits and make him forget about his dad."_

"Right. Well, I need to get going. Talk to you later."

_"Merry Christmas, Peter."_

Peter hung up, then went to his texts. He scrolled through them until he found the ones with Jameson's assignments. The editor of the Daily Bugle usually printed his pictures he took of himself as Spider-Man(to smear and besmirch him), but sometimes sent him on odd jobs that took him away from the city. He had even gone so far as Ryker's Island as Peter Parker, where he was able to stop a breakout from happening as Spider-Man.

He found the specific text.

**Pictures, evidence of the "Batman." On my desk Boxing Day or you're fired. –JJJ**

Peter frowned. It wasn't the threat of unemployment that worried him. He was freelance anyway. No, it was the reference of the "Batman" that gave him pause.

_Who is this Batman? Well, that explains what I'm doing in this… Gotham City. Maybe he's a new superhero. Or villain. But the papers never send guys like me if they're villains, because villains usually make their presence known by themselves. So, is he a vigilante? I better do my homework._

Suddenly, a police siren wailed past, and Peter looked up. The police Crown Vics, emblazoned with the insignia "GCPD" on the side, all screeched to a stop in front of a building that housed a lot of offices. Peter glanced up to see the logo "Wayne Tech Corporate Offices" at the top. Apparently, someone had decided to take some hostages.

Peter placed his phone back in his pocket, and ducked into a back alley to change.

* * *

**Spider-Man crawled through the vents from the top of the building to one of the lower floors. **

Inside one of the big rooms, he saw seven men, all dressed in heavy snow gear, with ski masks on, and penguin logos on their jackets.

_How stupid is that. But they're spread out. Maybe I can take them out one by one, quietly, and then we can call it good._

And so he went to work.

One man had stepped behind a cubicle wall. Spider-Man descended on him and pulled him up to the ceiling, webbing him in place, covering his mouth before he could protest. He struggled, but the bonds were too tight.

Another was by the door, guarding it from the cops. He sent some pot shots every once in a while, not knowing that the cops hadn't entered the building yet. But Spider-Man had. He got him from behind in a sleeper hold, cutting off his air until he passed out. Spider-Man left him where he lay.

One by one, they fell. Finally, there was only the two in the center of the room, watching the hostages. They became aware of the silence around them.

"Hey, Joey? Tom? Rick?" one of the thugs called out. "Guys? This ain't funny."

"Oh crap, man," the other said, and there was a note of panic in his voice. "It's the Bat. It's gotta be. I told you."

"Shut up!" the first snapped, shifting his feet. "The Bat don't come out in the day time. The boss had the time planned perfectly. Do it in the daytime, and we'll only have to worry about the cops. Besides, Brandon's in charge, in't he?"

"There's that Gordon guy," the second said. "I'm telling you, this isn't going good for us."

"Joey!" the first called out, and there was a definite strain in his voice. "This isn't funny, dammit! Go look for 'em," he told the second man. He started walking forward, slowly, aiming his automatic rifle. His grip was shaky.

Spider-Man waited until he was out of sight of the first crook. Then he webbed him up in a cocoon, splattering him up against the wall.

"See anything?" the last man called. Spider-Man leapt up to the ceiling again, crawling until he was right above the guy. "Hey, come on man, this isn't cool…"

Spider-Man webbed the gun, yanking it out of the guy's hand. He screamed in terror, but it was too late. In one swift movement, Spider-Man slammed him to the floor, where he lay unconscious.

"We all good?" he asked in a general inquiry. "Former hostages? Is everyone fine?"

There was a general murmur of consent from the previously silent office workers.

"Good," he said. "Looks like a job well done. Someone wanna let the cops in?"

* * *

**"Spider-Man?"**

The name, when uttered by the Penguin in a questioning, are-you-serious tone, took on a whole new menace. The informer, a cop on Cobblepot's pay, gulped.

"Yeah, I guess he's from New York. He's been around a couple of years."

"Four years," Tonya, Cobblepot's female assistant said. "Somewhat of a loon, in fact."

"And this concerns me… why?" Penguin asked the cop.

"Because we just had to arrest some of your guys, the ones who tried to take the Wayne Tech building. He got them all. Broad daylight, too." The cop wiped the sweat off his upper lip.

"He what?!" Penguin bellowed, knocking over a picture frame on his desk. "Bloody hell!"

"He's the blighter who's been giving the Kingpin all that trouble," Tonya added, looking in her files. "Dunno why he's in Gotham now…"

"Doesn't matter!" Penguin spluttered, pointing his umbrella at the dirty cop dangerously. "He's a goner! Bastard thinks he can just waltz all over me like he does Fisk? Well, we'll show 'im. Put a price on 'is head! Fifty million quid! Uh, dollars. Now! And tell your friends who are sympathetic to us that the deal goes out to them too."

"Got it, sir," the cop said. "That's a lot of money. Thanks."

"It's 'ow much Black Mask is putting on the Bat tonight," Tonya said. "Give the boys on the streets double incentive. And for the man who gets 'em both…"  
"He's gonna be famous… and rich," Penguin finished, chomping on his cigar. "But 'e's got to get 'em first."

* * *

**Night was starting to fall on Gotham City. By now, Peter had more or less figured out what was going on.**

Granted, he still didn't know how the hell he got here, or even why. The universe he knew(and loved) and this new strange environment seemed to have merged, seamlessly.

Christmas Eve. There were several gangs on the streets tonight, so much so that a mandatory curfew was in effect. Black Mask was one, Penguin, whose men Spidey had taken out earlier in the day, was another. Then there was the Mafia, Falcone and Maroni families. But also…

_Hammerhead. He's operating here too. Someone I know. How is this? Why him? Well, makes sense, if I think about it._

His head was beginning to hurt from thinking about it. But as night fell, he began to feel a sense of anticipation.

_The Batman comes out at night. Criminals hate him. Cops hate him too, but then again, most of the GCPD are crooked. No one has seen him, and very few have heard him. But the stories…_

Which explained why Peter Parker was here. Find evidence of the Batman.

Peter leaned his head back on the wall he was perched on. He was in North Gotham, he found out, separated from New Gotham was south of the Pioneers' Bridge. Farther south, past the city's borders, was the prison Blackgate, which seemed to be the Alcatraz or Rykers of Gotham.

His spider-sense went off, and he let himself drop from the building. An instant later, a bullet thudded into the wall where he was. It ricocheted off to a water tower, turning sharply to come at him a second time.

_What the-!?_

He twisted, dodging it again, but only just. He swung a web-line where the bullet had come the first time, and pulled hard, yanking himself over.

A man, clad in snow gear and mask, was running across a rooftop. Spider-Man shot another web-line, which missed barely. He used the momentum to catapult himself in front of the man, who had large gauntlets on his forearms.

Spider-Man realized these were guns when the tips of them exploded in fire.

He wove this way and that, barely keeping ahead of the bullets. Some of them, if he was seeing this correctly, were sparking slightly. Then he realized the bullets were bouncing off each other, to come back to him.

"Whoa!" he shouted, still dancing. "That is some impressive skills! Have you met the Punisher? I know he'd love to meet you!"

The man, shocked at how Peter was avoiding everything, let his guard down. Spider-Man got in close, and landed a blow on his jaw. He crumpled, dazed, but not out.

"Okay, then," Spider-Man said, pulling him up by the collar after webbing the gauntlets. "Who are you, why were you shooting me, and is that Gucci I smell? Really?"

The man coughed, still in shock.

"I never miss," he mumbled. "Never. Who are you?"

"I asked first," Spidey pointed out. "Come on now, don't make me shake you…"

"I'm… Deadshot. I'm trying to collect the bounty… on your head," the man, Deadshot said. Spider-Man frowned beneath his mask.

"Seriously? I'm in town for barely twelve hours and I've already got a price on my head? Wow. That just completely makes my Christmas. Who ordered it?"

"Penguin," Deadshot said. He was volunteering the information, because he was still stunned anyone could have dodged his shots. "He's put up a price matching the one Black Mask put on Batman. Fifty mil. One night."

"Wow," Spidey said, impressed. "I could use that kind of bank. Shoulda let you wing me, split the fee."

"Really?" Deadshot said, lifting his head up.

"Nope."

Spider-Man slammed his head into the concrete rooftop, knocking him out instantly. He webbed him up and dropped him off the edge, letting him hang on a web-line.

_Well, this should get interesting…_

* * *

**Back in his hotel room, Peter's ears perked up as he heard something on the radio…**

_"…just in that Blackgate prison was broken into, and Commissioner Loeb has been killed in the struggle that ensued. Eyewitness reports that the Batman was present can be substantiated, as I myself saw him defend our crew from escaped inmates…"_

"Wonderful!" Peter said loudly, throwing his hands up. "Merry frickin' Christmas, Charlie Brown!"

* * *

This should be fun. Maybe. Possibly. Oh, and Deadshot will appear again.


	2. The Ten Assassins

Hey guys!

I figured I'd give you another chapter of this story, just to get it going a little bit more. But the next thing I update will be Ultimate Teen Titans. I promise!

Also, thanks to you guys who have given me feedback! I honestly wasn't expecting anyone to notice this tale, given that not very many people have done anything with these two genres. But I love it! Thanks!

**Spiderfan626: **I'm just replying to you through here because your PM doesn't work. Yeah, I thought Killer Croc was wasted as an assassin. And as for your assassin suggestions, about two of them are correct. One of which won't be introduced until much later. And SpideyxBatgirl? I would say yes(because I love that pairing), but Peter's 19 in this story, and Barbara Gordon is 15 at this time. Kinda awkward. And Harley isn't Harley Quinn yet, but I will take that under advisement for the future!

I should make clear something up. Spidey in this story is 616, but Venom hasn't taken place yet, so he doesn't exist. I'm sorta taking you guys back to the days when Mary Jane dated Harry Osborne, Gwen Stacy has already died, and Peter's struggling through college. Oh, and he hasn't met Black Cat yet. That's about it!

* * *

**Chapter I**

**The Ten Assassins**

* * *

"Welcome back, Master Bruce."

Bruce Wayne leapt out of the Bat-Wing, his metal boots hitting the landing bay with a dull thud. The engines of his plane died down, and the only sounds then came from the waterfall cascading down the walls of the BatCave.

"Have you dealt satisfactorily with Blackgate, sir?" inquired Alfred Pennyworth, his butler, the only person in the world who knew he was the Batman. He heaved a heavy sigh.

"It's going to be a long night, Alfred," Bruce said, removing his cowl, walking over to the Bat Computer.

"Oh dear," Alfred said.

"I've… just fought a giant crocodile man who told me that Black Mask had hired assassins to kill me." Alfred's eyebrows rose. "I got this memory card from a drone flying around the prison. I think it belongs to Penguin."

He plugged the memory card into one of the many USB ports, and the screens came online. A series of images began to flash onscreen, showing Black Mask's private office. On his desk were pictures of several different people. Bruce started to talk, explaining who each one was to Alfred.

"Ten assassins, one night, fifty million dollars. Quite a hefty sum. And of course, it only attracts the best in the business."

"Slade Wilson, AKA Deathstroke. Failed military experiment gone rogue."

"Failed, you say?"

"Firefly, AKA Garfield Lynns. A pyromaniac suffering third degree burns all over his body. An extensive knowledge of explosives and weaponry."

"Street smart named Lester Buchinsky, AKA Electrocutioner. I don't know how he got that suit, but I know he didn't build it. Electro-magnetic repulsors built into the suit."

"Shocking."

"Copperhead. A contortionist. Odd… reports detailed a male, not a female. I suppose it refers to a group as a whole, based somewhere in South America. We may want to follow that up one day."

"Shiva. Her skill is nearly unrivaled. Very fast, very dangerous. Extensive knowledge of arcane martial arts."

"Deadshot, AKA Floyd Lawton. Former Navy SEAL sniper who got 'bored' with his job."

"How on earth-?"

"Hobgoblin, AKA Roderick Kingsley. Deemed a paranoid schiz by some, although his tactics show true inventiveness. Extensive knowledge on IEDs, paratrooper equipment, and toxic gases."

"Bane. Terrorist out of Santa Prisca. What is he doing in Gotham? And of course…"

"Sergei Kravinoff, AKA Kraven the Hunter. Has a reputation for besting some of the most powerful creatures on earth. He's joined forces with Bane recently."

"Wade Wilson, AKA Deadpool. Slade's little brother. Rumors of metahuman abilities, healing factor, enhanced reflexes, so forth. Some say he can't be killed. He and Deathstroke do not get along."

He paused, and Alfred used the silence to interject a question.

"And you heard all this from the mouth of an alligator man, sir?"

"Crocodile," Bruce corrected. "But now I want to know where this drone was heading after it was done. Hmm…"

He tracked the flight plan of the drone. Unfortunately, the flight plan history wiped itself automatically. But he could see where it was going next…

"JezebelPlaza," he said, pointing at the spot on the map. "The Bowery. There's an arms deal going down. Looks like… yes, "Loose Lips" Lebanc. Old-time Penguin operative. He'll know where Cobblepot is."

He placed the cowl back on his head. Alfred looked up at him.

"Sir, if I may… you and I are the only two people in the world who know the Batman's true identity. So, if you don't go out tonight… they lose. The bounty said 'for one night only.' Why not stay in and let them battle it out among themselves?"

"Because they'd put innocent people in harm's way," Bruce said, walking to the Bat-Wing. "I can't risk that. Besides, I have the advantage."

"Sir," Alfred continued, walking behind him. "Have you heard on the news? It seems there is another vigilante in Gotham."

Bruce paused, looking over his shoulder.

"I'll keep an eye out for this Spider-Man," he said. "But he doesn't seem to be a problem."

* * *

**Spider-Man had a big problem.**

Night had fallen on Gotham, and the curfew was in effect. Only criminals now walked the streets, occasionally some citizens brave enough to not comply with the mandate. But it wasn't the police who were enforcing the order.

The day before, when the world wasn't completely out of whack, the crime lord known as Hammerhead was gone from the criminal underworld. No one knew where he was, or even, in fact, if he was alive. But now, in this strange universe, Hammerhead was very much alive, and active, right in GothamCity.

Spider-Man slowly crawled down the side of a building to where a group of thugs clustered around a fire, talking amongst themselves.

"Yeah, so the boss says, he says that when Black Mask makes his first move, we go in. Tear the city down. Cobblepot and Sionis are gonna be at war, and Falcone ain't gonna be able to do much about it."

"Why are we following this guy?" one of the men asked. "Hammerhead? He comes out of New York, tail between his legs, running from the Kingpin and the Owl. Not exactly leader materiel."

"Oh, really? Do you wanna know this guy's body count? Kingpin and Owl had to join forces to drive this guy outta New York. He single-handedly rebuilt the Big Man's gang from scratch, after Foswell bit the dust."

"So what, he wants to take Falcone's gang too? What is he getting out of this? Does he seriously think he's gonna rule Gotham? No way. No way in hell."

Spider-Man felt a strange feeling in his chest. It was almost like hearing an old friend after being in a foreign country. True, Hammerhead was one of the most ruthless and dangerous of his enemies, but he was Spider-Man's enemy. A single spot of familiarity amidst a sea of unfamiliar.

Now it was Spidey's job to stop him from destroying the city. Business as usual.

"Boys," he said, dropping down on one of the men. They looked up in shock, some yelling. "If Hammerhead's in town, he should call! Seriously, it's great to hear from him!"

He flipped over a few thugs, shooting webs as he went. A few punches later, and they were all on the ground, unconscious or otherwise incapacitated. He walked over to one who was still awake.

"Tell MC Hammer," he said cheerfully, "that I said hi. And that I'm gonna stop him. Whatever it takes."

* * *

**"Master Bruce? There's something on the auto-nav system…"**

"I see it too, Alfred," Batman said, checking his HUD in the Bat-Wing. "Something's blocking the GCRTower's reception. I can't use the navigation system."

_"You may want to check it out," _Alfred said, sounding completely unperturbed. _"I can't get a read on any of the points in the city."_

"Got it," Batman said tersely. "Thanks."

He flipped a switch, and the Bat-Wing's lower door opened up, and he dropped out into the cold winter sky.

He nose-dived, cutting through the air, waiting until certain death awaited him at the crash. He spread his cape, making the glider form by shooting electrodes through the magnets interwoven throughout.

Batman glided through the air, flecks of snow melting on his armor, the slant of his cowl keeping it out of his eyes. He had built a HUD directly into the cowl, which gave him a compass, his armor readings, and his objective marker. Right now, he followed the green spot on the compass to where the GCRTower was in the Bowery.

Batman knew something was wrong as soon as the Tower came into view. A group of thugs stood around the service entrance, apparently guarding it. He dive-bombed the scene, hitting the snow, his cape flowing around him.

The thugs were shocked, but they couldn't be prepared for what came next. Batman had collected the built-up kinetic energy that he had gathered from the dive, and in one move, released it all in a shock wave that knocked all the surrounding thugs off their feet.

He quickly took out two of them before the rest gathered their wits, and then proceeded to wipe out the rest with a flurry of punches and kicks. He grabbed the last one in an arm-lock, and he pulled violently upward.

The sound of the arm breaking echoed in the empty streets, and the criminal passed out from the pain. Batman stood up, gazing at the door. He opened it, and stepped through.

He traversed the narrow corridors until he came upon another strange scene. A door, a pass-code lock, and an exploded wall on the other side with a broken body lying amongst the rubble.

_Hmmm… this man was obviously killed trying to get in. I should set up a crime scene to see what happened._

By careful reconstruction of rubble, object placement, and the identification of the deceased, Batman was able to piece together what happened.

"Alfred?" he called on his comm. "Someone's tampered with the Tower. This man works for Gotham Electric. He must have been answering a service call, but was unaware the main broadcasting room has been booby-trapped."

_"Is it still?" _Alfred asked.

"Yes. I need the service codes from Gotham Electric. This isn't going to be easy, but I need to diffuse this in order to find out what's blocking the Bat-Wing's nav system."

_"Certainly, sir. One moment…"_

A minute later, Batman downloaded the codes from the Bat Computer. He tried the code, and was a little surprise to see they had been altered. A quick trial later found the new code for this particular door to be "PERPLEXED."

_Hmm… who did this? Why?_

He opened the door. Inside, the GCR computer screens were all locked on green code. Another moment later, and Batman had reverted them back to the original broadcast signal.

As soon as he did so, a new channel opened up on his comm. A voice he didn't recognize spoke.

_"Well, well, well… if it isn't the King Thug himself."_

The voice oozed with arrogance and confidence. It was male, probably late 20's early 30's. Batman scowled.

"Who is this?"

_"As if I was going to tell you who I was. Let's just say, another player in the game which we play."_

"Enigma, then."

_"If you insist. I think you ought to know by now that I've taken control of all the GCR Towers all over the city. As long as they're online, your Bat-Wing's useless. Also, I have people everywhere feeding me information. So whatever you're up to, I'll know."_

"I will find you," Batman growled. "You have no chance."

_"Don't I? I was just about to say the same thing about you. Oh, I think I'm going to enjoy this game. May the best man win! Which, of course, is going to be me."_

The channel closed, and Batman stood up.

"Alfred?" he said, putting a hand up to his cowl. "We have another problem…"

* * *

So yeah. Big stuffs. I won't go into every detail of the story of Arkham Origins. I'll be kinda fastforwarding that story in order to supplement this story.


	3. The Final Offer

Holy crap in a box, I'm updating.

So this is the longest chapter I've ever done. Ever. Of any story. And I'm sorry if certain things dialogue wise aren't perfect to the game. I barely remember the dialogue... unless Joker is talking.

Also, I write this story under the impression that everyone reading it has played Arkham Origins. If you haven't, I hope you aren't too terribly lost.

By the wayski, I think I'm gonna hold of on pairings in this story. It just wouldn't work. Maybe next one, however!

Also, I wrote a Batman/Incredibles one-shot that needs some love. Go check it out!

* * *

**Chapter II **

**Final Offer**

Peter looked out at the scene before him.

He could tell the different gangs apart now. Black Mask's crew all wore dark clothing and skull masks on their heads. Penguin's men wore dark ski masks made up to look like penguin faces. Other criminals of the smaller gangs didn't bother to dress up in uniform.

Which suited Hammerhead's operations perfectly. He was planning on kicking off a bloody war this evening, and it was up to Spider-Man to stop it.

Right now, several guys were fighting over what seemed to be a shipment of drugs. The two factions fighting were Maroni men and South American mercenaries. Spidey frowned, but jumped into the fight before anyone got seriously hurt.

"Boys!" he called, getting a few of their attentions. "No need to fight! What say we settle our differences over a nice quiet game of golf, huh? Maybe two-hand touch football if you're still hyped up. Waddya say?"

"Get the freak!" one of Maroni's guys shouted.

"Oh, nice," Spider-Man said in a mock hurt voice. "I'm offended! You know, that actually is grounds for suit. You'll be hearing from my lawyer!" He punched the guy out. "Oops, assault and battery. Never mind, we're even."

"Who is this man?" one of the mercenaries asked, surprised at Spider-Man's agility.

"'Who are you, mysterious mask man?! Reveal yourself!'" he quoted. "Ah, good times. Well, not really, but the money was good."

There were a lot of guys, but fortunately they were busy fighting each other more than Spidey. By the time they figured out who was kicking their butts, there were only three guys left, two of Maroni's men, and one of the mercenaries.

And then there were none. Looking at his handiwork, Spider-Man felt the familiar buzz in the back of his neck. Glancing up, he noticed the crate of drugs they were fighting over.

At least, he thought they were drugs. But upon closer inspection, he saw that they were a compound more commonly used in labs. It was as of yet un-synthesized, but Peter's scientific mind could work out generally what the materials would do.

He heard a groan behind him. The last of the mercenaries was still conscious, and was crawling away.

"Uh, uh, uh," Spidey said, walking over to him and lifting him up. "I wanna know something. This crate… what's in it?"

"Eh… I will never talk… payaso," the mercenary said, panting heavily. Spidey brought his face closer to his mask, so that the man's vision was filled with the large, blank, white eyes.

"You know why they call me Spider-Man?" he asked in a quiet voice. "Because… spiders are one of mankind's worst phobias. Look it up. Now, knowing that… do you really want to know what I can do to you?"

There was a brief pause, in which the man's ragged breathing was the only sound. Spider-Man started to lift up his other hand.

"No!" the man screamed, flinching. "Por favor… please, I will talk! These crates… they are coming from Santa Prisca! A man called Bird is delivering them here to Gotham! Por favor, that is all I know!"

"Really?" Spider-Man said. "Who are you working for?"

"We serve Bane!" the mercenary moaned, and tears were falling down his cheeks. "I will be forever disgraced!"

"Don't worry," Spidey said consolingly. "I've been disgraced for years. Read the Daily Bugle. It's kinda fun after a while."

And with that, he slammed his forearm into the man's head, knocking him out.

"Wow," he said, and his breath was shaky. "That… actually worked. For the record, hombre, I had no idea what I was gonna do to you. I'm not the evil interrogator kind of guy."

But now he had a name. Two names. Bird… and Bane.

_That's just something I'll have to keep my eye out for. I literally have no way of finding out important things in this city. _

He glanced up, and saw a radio broadcasting tower a little ways off. Emblazoned on the side were the letters GCR.

_Hey, maybe I can rig up some radio bugs to plant on the towers, intercept important frequencies? Like, the police radio, and whoever's using long-range communication? _

He moved toward the building, but stopped when he heard gunshots. He froze, trying to pin down where they were coming from. His head slowly turned, seeing…  
An old, decrepit ocean-liner, with the name _Final Offer _emblazoned on the side. The distant echo of the firearms was coming from the interior. Spidey's sense of hearing was slightly amplified than normal humans.

_Sounds like trouble. Probably none of my business. But then again, most of the stuff I get up to is._

Spidey shot a web toward the ship, going to investigate. The GCR Tower could wait.

* * *

**Inside the ship, Batman was dealing with the source of the main arms trade in Gotham City.**

Which basically meant he was shutting down Penguin's operations. Once he had tracked down "Loose Lips" in JezebelPlaza, and after a rough interrogation session, he had learned that Oswald Cobblepot based his operations on this seemingly abandoned ocean-liner. A quick deal with the guards outside and inside proved otherwise.

Now he was heading for the boiler deck, where there were apparently cage fights going down.

He observed the scene before him. Several men were in the center of the boiler deck, surrounded by cheering spectators. The fighting was getting brutal, but nothing yet on the level that Batman was used to. It was time to shut it down.

Batman dropped down into the center of the deck, and everyone began shouting louder for a brief second before the sounds died away.

"Where's Cobblepot?" he asked loudly, his voice dark and commanding. Up top, he noticed Tracey, one of Cobblepot's assistants, gazing down.

"Well, well, well… the Dark Knight. Mister Cobblepot's not expecting you right now. But someone else is."

"I don't have time for this," Batman said. He knew that she would know where her boss was, but unfortunately, he was in no position to question her effectively. "Tell me where he is and I won't hurt you."

At that moment, the cheering erupted again, but it wasn't for Batman. Jumping down in the boiler deck, Lester Buchinsky, better known as the Electrocutioner, charged up his suit.

"Looks like I'm gonna be collecting that bounty," he said in an uncultured accent. "I'm gonna kill you… jumpstart your heart… and then kill you again."

He was making a grand show, and the men around them were loving it. His electricity seemed to focus itself in his gloves, which must have been shock-proof. Batman observed him for a minute.

**CRACK.**

Electrocutioner was lying on the floor, his eyes closed, blood trickling out of his mouth. Batman had barely noticed the impact through his armored gauntlet. One knock-out punch was all that was needed.

The crowd around him fell deadly silent. He looked up at them all.

"Where is Cobblepot?" he repeated loudly.

* * *

**Spider-Man cautiously traversed through the interior of the ****_Final Offer._**

The sounds of activity were always just ahead of him, but as he entered the next room, it was always empty. Until the bodies started showing up.

In nearly every room he entered, unconscious men were strewn around. He checked the pulses on a few of them, satisfying himself that they were still alive. But the brutality with which they had been dispatched made him wince.

_Who did this? Is he still in the ship?_

Something shiny caught his eye. He walked over to the corner of the room, which was the gun shop. On the ground was what looked like a metal boomerang. It was shaped like…

_That looks like a bat._

Peter felt his heart beat faster, his pulse quickening. Here, at last. He was about to meet the Batman.

_Maybe. Or maybe he'll beat the crap out of me. More likely._

What Peter had discovered about the ship was that it belonged to Oswald Cobblepot, the man who had put the price on his head. He wanted a few words with him.

At that moment, his spider-sense went off. He ducked instinctively.

A sword swung the empty space his head had been a second before. Spidey spun around, ready to face…

"Deadpool?!" he exclaimed, shocked. The man before him, who was wearing armor that looked similar to Wade Wilson's gear, growled angrily.

"I'm not Wade, dammit!" he said, stepping forward. "I'm Deathstroke! How hard is it to tell us apart?"

Now, upon closer inspection, Spider-Man saw that this man wore black and grey armor, highlighted by accents of orange, and his mask was a metal plate divided in half, the one half orange with an eye-hole, the other solid black.

He swung his blade, and this time Spider-Man had to dodge a few times in quick succession. This man, Deathstroke, was fast, too fast. He was also highly skilled, and he wasn't giving Spider-Man an opportunity to land any blows of his own.

"Are you related?" Spidey asked between moves. He managed to place his hands on Deathstroke's chest, shoving him back a few steps. "Because you clearly know him."

"Yes, I know him," Deathstroke said, flipping his sword in a back-handed grip. "I believe he's after the bounty as well. Although, I expected more of a challenge from you. The famous Spider-Man."

"You haven't got me yet," Spider-Man observed, although his mind was thinking quickly, digesting this new information.

_Deadpool's in Gotham. That is either a good thing or a bad thing. Considering he's after the bounty, probably a bad thing. _

"Perhaps the Bat will be more of a fight," Deathstroke said, attacking Spider-Man again. "This is nothing more than practice."

"Easiest fifty mil you ever made," Spidey quipped, but realized that in this close-quarters environment, he was outmatched. Deathstroke was clearly more experienced and highly trained, and Spider-Man was only able to keep one step ahead of him thanks to his spider-sense.

"Hey, you wanna talk about this?" Spider-Man asked, leaping up to the ceiling. Deathstroke pulled out a pistol and started shooting at him. "Hey! No guns! That's cheating!"

"Not bad," Deathstroke said grudgingly, dropping his sidearm as Spider-Man descended on him. "Maybe you have some potential after all."

"Potential?" Spider-Man repeated. "Dude, I've been doing this for a long time. I know I gots skillz. And that's skills with a 'z.'"

"You're young," Deathstroke said, carrying on the conversation even though his attempts to kill Spider-Man were doubled. "I almost wonder what you did to piss off Cobblepot."

"Something about, oh I dunno… my very existence," Spidey grumbled.

Once again, he shoved Deathstroke back. They both paused, both of them out of breath. Deathstroke reached behind him, pulling out his second sword. But to Spider-Man's surprise, he threw it hilt first at Spidey.

"Uh, what?" he said, completely thrown. Deathstroke nodded at the blade in his hand.

"Let's do this properly," he said. "You may have talent, possibly experience, but no training. It's painfully obvious. I can't take the bounty this way."

"Well, that's nice of you," Spidey said, his confusion compounded by the fact that he had no idea what kind of man Deathstroke was. "Why not leave the bounty completely?"

"Right foot forward," Deathstroke said, raising his sword to shoulder height, holding his arm forward. "You attack."

Spider-Man, unsure of where this was going, obeyed. He swung the sword, trying to get a feel for using the weapon. It was light and comfortable in his hand, and he swung it with ease. Deathstroke blocked every one of his attacks, which were a little wild, but not once did he try to counterattack.

"Not bad," he said again. "You're clearly not used to weapons. Think of the sword as an extension of your arm. Don't let your guard down. If you open yourself up too much, move toward where you hit, get out of the way."

Spider-Man attacked again, keeping all this in mind, putting his doubt and confusion out of his mind. This time, his attacks were more precise. Deathstroke still blocked all of them, but his skill was hampered by Spider-Man's growing speed with the blade. Finally, Spider-Man thrust forward, and he realized that he opened himself up way too much. Deathstroke stabbed forward, aiming for his ribs. Spidey rolled with his momentum, turning on the spot where he landed, and swept Deathstroke's legs out from under him.

"Very good!" Deathstroke said, impressed. "One error… you didn't finish me."

Spider-Man realized that with Deathstroke on the ground, he could have stabbed the sword downwards, and ending the fight permanently. He glanced at the sword in his hands, and then dropped it.

"Not my style," he said, and he felt his hands shaking. "I have too many things to do, and fighting you is not very high on my list. So, if you'll excuse me…"

Deathstroke raised his sword, but this time, Spidey shot a web at him. Surprised by the strange substance, Deathstroke dropped his guard. Spider-Man leapt up and brought his fist crashing down into his temple.

The force of the blow broke his mask off, as well as causing the mercenary to black out. Spider-Man looked down at the man, studying his features.

He was an older man, with snow white hair and goatee, although his face was not very lined. Over the eye which had been covered by the black half of the mask was an eye-patch, much like Nick Fury's.

_He's half blind. That… is really cool. _

Peter studied his features. He had seen Deadpool without his mask once, but the crazed mercenary's face was so scarred and mutilated by his cancer that he couldn't see much resemblance. But Deathstroke obviously knew Deadpool, enough to call him by his first name.

Spider-Man webbed Deathstroke up, turning to head farther into the ship. The encounter had given him much to think about. It was true, he didn't have much training. But he didn't like how easy it was for him to wield that deadly sword.

_I don't kill people. I won't kill people. Part of my promise to Uncle Ben._

As he ran ahead, he heard the overhead speakers. Orders, messages, and announcements had been broadcast throughout the night, specifically about the flooding in Decks 3 and 4. But now his ears perked up.

_"Oi, I've got a message for the Batman. From your pal, Electrocutioner. Back on 'is feet 'e is. And 'e says that you may 'ave won this round, but the fight is far from over. Better watch yourself, Batman."_

* * *

** "Should have tied Buchinsky up," Batman muttered.**

_"Well, if I may make a suggestion…"_ Alfred said over his com, _"you may want to think about ways of preparing for his next attack."_

"I'm not worried about confronting him," Batman said, crawling through the vents, winding his way slowly to Penguin's office. "His gloves should put out a high electro-magnetic signal. See if you can isolate the signal, Alfred."

_"Will do, sir."_

Batman heard the com click off, and kept going. Soon he found himself in the bar, and then in the theater. Up above, he could see a glass screen, and Tracey was on the other side of it.

"Well, aren't you a persistent pain in me bottle?" she said sardonically. "You won't get much farther. You might as well go home."

Batman sighed, seeing the three thugs assembled in front of him. They weren't proving so much a challenge as a hindrance.

* * *

**Spider-Man hadn't gone far when he soon realized he was lost. **

"Great," he said aloud. "I need a roadmap. Or directions. Or a GPS. Something."

He glanced around. The room he was in looked the same as every other room he had been in so far. Except…

In the corner something was glowing with an artificial light. He walked over to it, investigating.

It was a glowing green data-pack. It was raw coding, but he noticed it all converged at a certain point. There was a play button at the top. He pressed it.

A voice began speaking, a voice Spider-Man didn't recognize. It was an older man, arrogant and proud.

_"Have you heard anything from Black Mask?"_

Another voice responded, younger, deeper, and more vicious.

_"Not yet, Commissioner. He hasn't been in contact for the past few days."_

_ "Of all the… doesn't Sionis realize he needs to keep us updated on his situation? The last thing we need is to bust one of his operations, and vice versa."_

_ "I wouldn't worry about that, Commissioner."_

_ "Oh, you wouldn't, would you Brandon?"_

_ "I think our new Captain is more of a problem, actually."_

_ "Gordon. Yeah, you have a point. What kind of a man doesn't want the kind of money we're making?"_

_ "Idealist? Either or, he's causing problems. If you want…"_

_ "No, Brandon. The last thing we need is someone making the connection between James Gordon's death and SWAT. No, I'll have Sionis do something. As soon as he returns my calls!"_

The recording ended. Spider-Man crouched there, feeling hollow.

He may have been new in Gotham, but he knew the names already. They were the first thing he had done his utmost to find out, the key players.

Commissioner… that must have been Loeb. But he was dead now. And Brandon… the leader of the SWAT team, a particularly sadistic man. Roman Sionis was the Black Mask, one of the major crime lords in Gotham, someone who was so obviously an evil man that Spidey wondered why no one had gone after him.

And then he realized why. The Gotham City Police Department was bought and paid for. Gift wrapped for anyone with the right money.

It made him sick. Even in New York, the police had the excuse of being ignorant of Wilson Fisk, or Fredrick Foswell, or any of the major bosses. Not so in Gotham.

_There's that guy… Gordon. He seems decent. Everyone hates him, so he must be doing something right._

But then his attention returned to the data-pack itself. Someone had recorded this conversation. For what? Blackmail?

_And they hid it here. Is this it? Is it Penguin's? _

Spider-Man resolved to ask him, in addition to asking him about the bounty.

* * *

**"Black Mask! Put a price on my head! Where is he?!"**

Batman slammed Cobblepot's head into the floor again. He spluttered, gasping for breath.

"Y'think I keep tabs on every geezer wif' a grudge?! You're not a popular bloke in this town!"

It had taken little trouble to corner the Penguin. What had surprised Batman was finding him interrogating(torturing) Alberto Falcone, the son of the arms dealer, Carmine. Now the bloodied Alberto was lying on the floor, panting, while Penguin's enforcers lay unconscious and his other assistant, Candy, was huddled against the wall.

"WHERE IS HE?!" Batman bellowed, picking the dwarf up and holding him high in the air, punching him several times for good effect.

"D… dunno… I don… don't know…" Penguin gasped, choking. Batman punched him again. "Gah! Lacey Towers! There… there was a murder…"

"Who was murdered!?" Batman yelled, but at the moment, something snagged him around the ankle, tripping him up, and pulling him out of the door.

The boiler deck lay just outside, and Batman felt himself being strung up high above the floor, his grip on Penguin long lost.

"At last," came a voice, distorted and high-pitched. "I almost thought I'd never find you."

Batman glanced down, and quickly flipped himself up, slicing at the cable suspending him with a batarang.

He glided to the boiler deck floor. He looked up.

Standing in front of him was a man, clad in chain mail and an orange hood and cloak. Under that hood was the face of a monster. A goblin.

"Hobgoblin," Batman growled.

"I had to leave my glider outside!" Hobgoblin said, throwing his arms up. "Can you believe it? But I wasn't content to just sit and wait for you to come out. Not when I saw Deathstroke go in after you."

"Deathstroke?" Batman repeated, but then resumed his battle-ready stance. "It doesn't matter. You don't have your glider, which means you're mine."

"On the contrary, Batman," Hobgoblin said, wagging a finger, while with the other hand he reached into a bag at his side. "I still have a few toys to play with."

Batman charged, and Hobgoblin threw orange balls at him. He ducked, noticing that they were in the form of pumpkins.

They exploded on top of him. His armor bore the brunt of the explosion.

"Dear, or dear," Hobgoblin said, laughing hysterically. Batman began to engage him in close quarter combat.

It soon became apparent that Hobgoblin was a metahuman, because he was stronger than Batman, as well as faster. His reflexes weren't as honed, but that hardly mattered, as his armor could take the force of Batman's blows. As Batman dodged his attacks, he noticed how he stood.

_He has no extensive combat training._

Batman ducked low, sweeping Hobgoblin's legs out from under him. As he went down, Batman leapt on top of him.

"Afraid not!" Hobgoblin screeched, throwing some more pumpkin bombs in Batman's face. This time, they dispersed a gas that quickly disoriented the Dark Knight.

As Batman stumbled back, Hobgoblin pulled a gadget out of his bag. He fired it at Batman.

He felt a thud in his armor, and as his vision cleared, he saw that it was some kind of remote claw, which then fired again, latching onto an explosive canister.

Knowing there was no time to lose, Batman grabbed the canister as it hurtled toward him, intercepting it, and redirecting it toward Hobgoblin.

"Eh?" he asked, seeing it coming. "No!"

The canister exploded, knocking the Hobgoblin on his back. As he was rising, Batman leapt through the smoke, punching him hard on the jaw.

Hobgoblin went down, and this time, didn't rise again. Batman stood there, getting his breath back. When he had returned to normal breathing, he inspected the gadget still in Hobgoblin's hand.

He studied the remote claw, and saw its usefulness, especially since he know had to get back up to Penguin's office. He fired it up, creating a line with which he could get up to the balcony.

But the door was locked. On the massive screen behind him, he heard laughing.

_"Oh, sorry, Batman. Afraid I ain't gonna be able to continue our little chat. 'Ave a Merry Christmas… and piss off."_

The image of Penguin, Tracey and Candy on either side on him, sitting on the couch, recovering from his wounds, caused Batman to clench his fist in anger. But it was no use.

"Alfred?" he said as the screen blacked out. "I've questioned Penguin. Apparently there's been a murder at LaceyTowers. Isn't that one of Sionis's safehouses?"

_"I believe so, sir," _Alfred replied. _"I'm accessing the police files now. Hold on…it says here… that Roman Sionis is the victim."_

"Black Mask, dead?" Batman said incredulously. "I'm going to go check it out. Meantime, call the GCPD. Tell them Hobgoblin's tied up and waiting in the Final Offer, as well as Penguin's illegal arms."

_"Another anonymous tip, sir? Very well, then."_

* * *

**No sooner had Penguin sat back to relax with his assistants did he feel a pull on his collar.**

Once again, he was suspended above the ground. This time, he was strung up by some stick substance that attached him to the ceiling. And on the ceiling…

"Hey, that was easy!" Spider-Man said lightly. "Ladies, if you excuse us…" He shot some more web, preventing Candy and Tracey in particular from moving.

"Bloody 'ell!" Penguin yelled, struggling. Spidey smacked him lightly on his nose.

"Language," he said, grasping his hair to turn Cobblepot's face toward his own. "I have a few questions for you. Starting with, am I really worth fifty million bucks? Seriously? For that kinda bank, I woulda just left Gotham."

"You messed up a major operation I 'ad going!" Penguin yelled. "I was about to ruin Wayne! And then you showed up!"

"Wayne… oh yeah, Wayne Tech. The place you were robbing. Or, what were you doing?"

"None of your bloody business!" Penguin shouted, waving his short arms around frantically. "Let me down!"

"If you insist," Spider-Man said, letting go of the web. Penguin fell to the floor in a crash. In an instant, Spider-Man was on top of him, turning him over.

"Come on, dude," Spidey said. "It's gonna be a long night, and I have better places to be. What about this?"

He held up the data-pack. Penguin's eyes clouded in confusion.

"Never seen that before in my life," he said, and he sounded truthful. "What is it?"

"Something I found on your ship," he said. "Wondered if you could tell me-,"

"WHAT!?" Penguin bellowed. "Someone's been planting stuff on me boat! The bastards! I'll kill 'em all!"

"Okay, not yours," Spidey said hastily. "All I needed to know. So hey… no chance you can call off the bounty, huh?"

"Not a chance in hell," Penguin growled. "Let me go!"

"Fine."

Spider-Man straightened up. As he walked out the door, he shot another web at Cobblepot.

"What the-?"

It stuck him to the wall. He struggled, but he couldn't get down.

"Great!" he screamed. "Brilliant! First the Bat, now you…!"

"Whoa, wait," Spidey said, his hand on the door. "Did you say the Bat?"

"'Ow do you think I got these bloody bruises!" Penguin demanded, and Spidey indeed saw the swelling purple marks. "'E was 'ere not half a minute ago!"

Spider-Man stood there, frozen. Finally, his brain digested this information, and he threw the door open.

He wasn't prepared to see Hobgoblin tied up in strong cable on the boiler deck floor.

"Kingsley?" he said in shock. "Roderick Kingsley? In Gotham? Oh… and he's out."

There was only one answer. Batman. It had to be the Batman.

* * *

Yeah, so... is it just me, or did Deathstroke get like, no love in the game? He's there for literally three scenes and a fight. That's it. I honestly thought he'd be more crucial to the story, considering you get to play him in DLC(which is amazing, btdubs). But yeah, sorry for making his fight with Spidey. I just kinda wanted to shake things up a bit.

And as always, please review!


	4. When Worlds Collide

**OKAY, OKAY, OKAY. FANFICTION. WHAT THE HELL.**

Seriously, why have you shitted all over the copy and paste option?! I have to completely redo the chapters now and redo the little stuff I do! Dammit!

Please join me in protest against this injustice. I really don't want to do this every time.

* * *

**Chapter III **

**When Worlds Collide**

* * *

"Alfred, we may have a problem."

As Batman left the Final Offer, he had found Slade Wilson, minus his helmet, incapacitated and strung up by a sticky, web-like substance. Wilson had been unconscious, and Batman was fairly certain the web would hold him until the police arrived. But the fact of the web, and the fact that someone took out Deathstroke…

"I think Spider-Man's following me," he went on, gazing at the Final Offer from atop a smoke-stack in the Industrial District. "Find any information we have on him. Media, police files, anything."

_"Searching now, sir. Hmm… it seems that he is usually seen in New York. Sightings of Spider-Man date back to at least three years, four if you believe eye-witness accounts. At least up till three years ago have there been decent photographs, all published by the newspaper 'The Daily Bugle.' It also seems that all of the pictures have been taken by one man… a Peter Parker." _

"Is there any suspicion that he is Spider-Man?" Batman asked.

_"There is some speculation as to Spider-Man's identity, but Parker's name is cleared, according to reports. Good alibis. By all accounts, Spider-Man is a dangerous menace to society… which basically means he could be a useful ally to you." _

"How do you mean?"

_"Well… don't they say that you yourself are a danger to society, sir?"_

"Good point," Batman admitted. "Still, I'll reserve judgment until I actually meet-,"

At that moment, something struck Batman hard in the side of his cowl. The armor protected him from most of the force, but it also protected him from the surprising acidic aspect of the blow.

_Acid? In a weaponized form… Scorpion!_

Batman leapt off the smoke-stack, looking down. On one of the balconies of the skyscrapers stood Mac Gargan, the Scorpion. He was clad in black armor, with forest green plating. A large ridge ran down his back, culminating in a tail that had a barrel at the end of it. Batman barely noticed the snarl on Gargan's face before he dive-bombed, straight at the assassin.

To Batman's shock, Scorpion leapt upward, flying higher than gravity should have permitted. Batman's loss of concentration caused him to lose balance, and as he tried to right himself, Scorpion came down hard on his back.

"That bounty's mine!" he hissed in Batman's ear, grabbing the back of his cape as they both plummeted to earth.

The air whistled past Batman's face. He struggled desperately against Scorpion's weight and grip, and managed to get out from under Scorpion. They both tumbled over and over, the cold wind buffeting them both. The ground was coming up swiftly to meet them, and Batman knew he wasn't going to have enough time to get Gargan under him to cushion his fall.

But something else happened, the last thing that Batman or Scorpion expected. A large web materialized underneath them, catching them and breaking their fall.

"No!" Scorpion breathed vehemently.

"Yes!" came a new voice, one Batman had never heard before. It was male, cheerful, and light-hearted. "I missed out on the chance to smack Hobgoblin, but hey, you win some, you lose some."

Batman grabbed a batarang, slicing the web and dropping safely to the ground. Scorpion landed with less dignity, falling on his front, his face embedded in the snow. Batman took no chances, leaping on top of him, grabbing his head, and slamming it into the hard-packed ice underneath the snow layer.

"Whoa, hey!" An arm grabbed Batman's raised fist, preventing him from landing a second punch. He reacted quickly, grabbing the arm with his free hand, twisting it behind the back of…

A brightly colored individual. One who could only be Spider-Man.

"Ow, ow, ow!" he exclaimed, gasping in pain as Batman raised his pinned arm higher. "Stop! Hey! I saved your life!"

"There was no need," Batman growled. "I had him."

"Clearly," Spider-Man said, not struggling anymore. "That was why you were about to end up as bat-paste. Speaking of, he's getting up!"

Scorpion indeed was rising to his feet, shaking his head, still dazed.

"Leave this to me," Batman said, releasing Spider-Man. He ran forward, and slammed his fist across Scorpion's temple, knocking him out instantly.

"Wow," Spider-Man said, standing stock-still. "That was… violent."

"It was necessary," Batman responded, turning to face him. "The only reason you haven't joined him is because I know about Penguin's price on your head. There has to be a reason for that."

"Cool," Spider-Man said, but his voice was nervous. Batman couldn't quite reconcile the bright red and blue of his costume, as well as the lightness of his manner, with the downward arc of his cold white eyes. Sure, it was a mask. But it was a slightly creepy mask. "So, uh… can we be friends? Y'know… tag-team?"

"I don't have friends," Batman said coldly. "And I don't know you."

"Well, then," Spider-Man said brightly, holding out his hand. "I'm Spider-Man. You're obviously Batman. It's… well, it's an honor to meet you." Batman didn't take the hand, or even look at it. Spider-Man held it out for a few seconds before letting it drop.

"Seriously?" he asked, holding his hands out. "I mean, come on. There's a lot going down in Gotham tonight, and you're gonna need my help."

"I don't need your help," Batman answered, turning to walk away. "You have no criminal record… so far. So I'll say this once… leave Gotham."

"I can't."

"Why not?" Batman asked, turning his head.

"Because Hammerhead's in Gotham. Don't know if you know who that is, but… it spells bad news. And he's planning something big. Considering it was partly my actions that drove him out of New York and come here… I have a responsibility. I have to stop him."

"Hammerhead," Batman repeated, stunned. "In Gotham? Why haven't I heard about this?" Spider-Man shrugged. "What's he planning?"

"He's going to start a turf war," he explained. "Overheard some of his goons on the street. Gonna set off Penguin against Black Mask, Black Mask against the Falcones, Falcones against the Maronis, and the Maronis just get clobbered. More than that…" He held out his hand. In his palm was a small sample of some liquid. Batman analyzed it with his detective vision.

"That's Venom," he said with disgust. Spider-Man cocked his head. "Powerful street drug that enhances the user's physique and muscle structure. The effects are temporary, but some thugs wear full-body injectors for a continuous dosage."

"Dang," Spider-Man breathed, gazing at it.

"Where did you find it?" Batman asked him.

"End of… Amusement Mile, I think? Some thugs were fighting over it, Maroni guys and some Hispanic mercenaries." Batman froze.

"Santa Prisca," he whispered. "Bane."

"Bane?" Spider-Man repeated. "Who is-?"

"Another one of the assassins after the bounty," Batman explained. "He doesn't usually work for money. More of a terrorist than a mercenary. But he's in Gotham tonight… probably after the price on your head too."

"They mentioned his name," Spider-Man said, looking off to the side as though remembering. "Bane. They also said the name 'Bird.' Mean anything to you?"

"Bane's second in command," Batman said. "Bumped down a rank recently, actually. So his number three guy."

"Who's his number two?" Spider-Man asked. Batman thought about answering. He didn't like the fact that he had been roped into conversation with Spider-Man, but at the same time, he did have a price on his head, and apparently no idea of the threats facing him. He seemed like a decent enough person, but Batman knew better than to trust anything.

"A Russian," Batman said finally. "Sergei Kravinoff."

Spider-Man gasped in recognition. Batman looked surprised.

"I know him!" he said. "I mean, I know Hobgoblin and Scorpion too. But Kraven… Kraven…"

"What's the significance of Kraven?" Batman asked. Spider-Man looked at him, his white eyes boring into Batman's own.

"Kraven the Hunter committed suicide," he said, his voice hollow. "Shot himself right in front of me. Wearing my costume, too."

Batman opened his mouth, surprised. But he closed it swiftly.

"Regardless, someone calling themselves Kraven the Hunter, someone who is a dead match for the man, is working with Bane to hunt us both down. We're wasting time here. I'm looking for Black Mask, who apparently has just been murdered at Lacey Towers. I'm going there to investigate. But my advice to you is the same. Leave Gotham."

"What?!" Spider-Man exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "Are you kidding?! Hammerhead, Black Mask, Bane, Kraven… that's too much for one guy! You need my help!"

"I don't need your help," Batman repeated coldly. "Thanks for the intel on Hammerhead and Bane. Now go home."

He dropped a smoke pellet, which disoriented the red and blue-colored hero. He heard him coughing, before he grappled up into his Batwing, flying away.

_"Sir? Was that wise?"_ Alfred asked over his com.

"It was necessary," Batman replied, making his way Coventry. "I can't trust him, and he shouldn't be in Gotham in the first place."

_"Perhaps not. But even so… he did have a point. You may not be able to do all of this on your own."_

"Of course I will," Batman said tersely. "I have to."

* * *

**"Oh, wow," Spider-Man grumbled, coughing as the smoke cleared. "Really?! Really Batman?!" **

He had been looking forward to meeting the mysterious vigilante, albeit with a certain fear of getting his butt kicked. But he didn't even do that.

"Let's just take his info and split!" Spidey complained loudly, throwing his arms around. "'Cuz that's how we do it in Gotham freakin' City! God!"

At that moment, Scorpion groaned, clutching his head. Spidey webbed him up.

"Shut up," he said, watching Gargan sway in the breeze, still moaning. "I need to speak to someone from my universe who isn't trying to kill me."

However, his mind was distracted from grumbling about Batman by the neon signs of the GCR Tower. He remembered his original goal.

_Hack into communications. Wouldn't surprise me if Batman has already done that. Jerk. Well, I'll show him. _

A few moments later brought Spidey to the door of the Tower. He opened it cautiously, but there was nobody there. He strode confidently over to the door, but as he touched it, electricity shot through it, zapping him backwards. A voice spoke over an intercom.

_"Who are you? Never mind, get the hell out of my tower!"_

"Ugh," Spider-Man groaned, lying on the ground, smoking slightly. "Uh… sorry? Your tower?"

_"Yes, my tower. Did you work hard to set up an impenetrable network system, spanning the entirety of the city? Did you coerce certain crooks to become data-handlers to extract valuable information concerning high ranking individuals in Gotham City? I don't think so!"_

"Whoa, whoa, wait," Spider-Man said, holding up his hand. Out of his belt he pulled out the green data box he had found on the Final Offer. "You mean this? Blackmail data?"

_"How did you find that?! That's not yours!"_

"I don't think it's yours either," Spider-Man said, standing up. "You're planning to blackmail cops! And… other people, I guess."

_"Oh, you're smart. Considering I just told you that… and yes. But it's not for blackmail. Oh no. No, you see… tomorrow morning, I am going to unleash the information to the general public. Everyone will know everyone else's dirty little secrets… and some not-so-little ones. It will be perfect. The perfect way to clean up the cesspit that this city has become."_

"That's… actually a pretty good idea," Spider-Man admitted fairly. "Except for the part when you use criminals to extort the information. And the theft of public property, i.e., the Towers. And the collateral damage that will definitely occur afterwards."

_"Oh, a moralist, huh? Let me tell you something, freak. No one in this city's clean. No one. And they are all going to fall. And there's nothing you can do about it."_

"See," Spider-Man said, his jaw set. "You've gone and made me mad. Now that you've succeeded…" He shot a web at an electrical control box he had noticed out of the corner of his eye. "… you won't like me when I'm mad."

He yanked hard, destroying the box. The sound of electricity powering down was heard, and he placed a hand on the large metal door. Nothing happened.

"Awesome," he said, ripping the door open with one hand. Inside was a code-box. Spidey tapped on some keyboards, watching the screens light up in green coding. He had to figure out the password to unlock the screens, and begin hacking the comms for himself.

"Wow, really?" he asked aloud, typing quickly. "'Conundrum?' That's the best you can come up with?"

In a few seconds, he had reset the towers. On one of the screens a video came up, obviously live feed of the man he had just talked to.

_"Oh, aren't we clever?"_ he said sardonically. He was dressed in a collared shirt and vest, but beyond that, Spidey couldn't make out his face. _"And you didn't even use stupid little toys. Except for that spit-shooter."_

"Web-shooter. Hey, wait," Spidey said. "Have you met Batman? Has he shut down other towers?"

_"One tower! And no more! I guarantee it…"_ The video clicked off. Spider-Man gazed at the blank screen for a moment, before setting to work hacking the comms for himself, rerouting them to an earpiece he carried.

* * *

So, like I said, Fanfiction... fix it! I mean, I could find ways around it... but it's just so much easier the way it was before! Ugh...

Anyway, check out my profile if you wanna see some author's challenges I've put up. They're kinda cool(I think).


	5. Nobody Important

Good morning, lab rats. I'm finally updating, as I promised I would.

I've figured out a pairing that I like. However, the young lady's name will not be revealed until the next chapter. Unless, of course, you guess it first. I did leave some clues.

Also, I ain't gonna run through every side mission in Arkham Origins. SPEAKING OF...

ARKHAM KNIGHT. HOLY CRAP. I AM SO HAPPY.

PM me if you wanna hear my theory as to who the Arkham Knight is gonna be!

* * *

**Chapter IV**

**Nobody Important**

* * *

Batman performed a final glance around the room in LaceyTowers where Black Mask had been supposedly murdered.

Two bodies, one unidentifiable, wearing a skull mask, the other, Black Mask's current girlfriend. The girlfriend had been strung up on the chandelier, shot from somewhere close to the ground. It could match someone of Penguin's height, but Batman didn't think so, even if Cobblepot's fingerprints were present on the scene.

There had been two other people in the room, both of which Batman was unable to identify. There had been a fight, the victor possibly dragging the loser out of the room, setting fire to it with a Molotov Cocktail to destroy the evidence. Data recovery had been difficult, but Batman needed more tools to work with.

"Alfred," he said, activating his com. "I'm going to need access to the National Criminal Database."

_"Well sir, if you're going to do that, you'll need to break into the police headquarters. That's the only way to access the Database."_

"Then that's where I'm going," Batman said curtly. "I have DNA that needs to be identified, as well as a cloth swatch."

_"Then I assume you'll be looking for a way in," _Alfred pointed out. _"Let's see… your best bet would be rooftop access. I would be careful, though. It seems the police have placed snipers in strategic places in Burnley."_

"I'll bear that in mind." He signed off as he took out a cop he hadn't noticed before. The man was carrying a riot shield, which Batman quickly jumped over, and slammed the man into the ground.

* * *

**"This is awkward."**

Spider-Man looked around at the assemblage of people around him, all armed, all pointing their rifles at him. They were clad in the mercenary outfit that belonged to Bane's group of renegades.

"Listen, guys," he said, chuckling, his hands in the air. "I'm awfully sorry I stumbled onto your little illegal activities. Seriously, I am. It's a really bad habit of mine, and I need to break it. That's a good song, by the way."

"_Cayate!_" barked one of the lead men, who was drugged up on Venom, the strength enhancing steroid that Batman had told him about. "You are the Spider, the plague of New York! You will not trouble Bane's operations here!"

"Plague!?" Spider-Man repeated. "Now wait just a minute!"

He had been tracking down different members of different gangs, searching for SIM cards in their communications to hack. He had intercepted the broad waves of Penguin's, Hammerhead's, and Bane's gangs. One of the conversations he overheard concerned an establishment called My Alibi, and that Bird, Bane's lieutenant, was delivering more of the Venom there. So naturally, Spider-Man had gone to investigate.

And of course, he had walked into a trap.

"Silence!" said the massive thug. "Bird will see to you shortly. And then you'll wish you'd never been born."

"Yeah, yeah," Spidey said, rolling his head. "If I had a nickel for every time I heard some big baddie say that… I'd have exactly two dollars and seventy five cents. I did the math. Besides, what's your sub-boss up to that's so important anyway?"

Over the sounds of the clubs thumping techno music, Spidey suddenly heard the sound of women laughing loudly. He swallowed.

"Oh," he said quietly. "I wasn't aware they didn't get Christmas off."

Presently, the surrounding men parted ways to reveal a man dressed in a shredded leather coat, with feather tattoos all over his face, obscuring his goatee. He was bald, with scars running down his face. A crooked smile was on his face. Spider-Man gulped.

"You are the Spider," Bird said, walking up, drawing a knife at his side. "The scourge of Manhattan."

"Y'know, you guys have awesome nicknames for your enemies," Spidey said lightly. "Your own names, not so much. But I am definitely going to write to the Daily Bugle. _'Spider-Man, scourge of Manhattan's pushcart hot dogs.' _Yeah, that'd be cool!"

"You speak flippantly," Bird said, placing his knife at Spider-Man's throat. "Soon, you will not speak at all."

Spider-Man flipped backwards, shooting a large web that canvassed the entire area. The mercenaries cried out, stuck in the sticky substance, their guns all jammed. Bird cut his way free swiftly, but was knocked out by a punch to the temple by Spidey.

"I would have drawn that out into an awesome butt-whoopin'," he admitted. "But it's late, I'm tired, I've got assassins on my case, and Batman's being a jerk, and Hammerhead's gonna take over the city, and…"

His complaining trailed off into unintelligible grumbling as he left the building, making sure to web up the Venom securely and placing a call to the GCPD.

_Oh yeah, maybe I should hack the scanner._

* * *

**Batman made his way down the infirmary, searching for a way into the evidence locker.**

Once he was there, he found the weapons disrupter that 'Loose Lips' had told him about. He scanned it, making sure it was operational. It seemed so, its primary function being to shut down firearms and other technical devices. He needed it to access the computer room, which was locked and protected by a radio jammer.

He quickly made his way back to the computer room, shutting down the jammer, and unlocking the door. Closing it quickly, he went inside.

As he began to hack into it, the police frequency got more and more frantic as they were searching for him. His presence in the building was now known, and he needed to hurry.

_"We got reports that Hammerhead's crew are in the city. They… oh jeez… can we get a lockdown on this? He's taking out the Maronis."_

_ "Maronis aren't on our list of priorities. If Black Mask is involved, then you can get worried. Focus more on the problem at home… the Batman."_

Batman set his jaw as he worked. It seemed that Spider-Man's intel on Hammerhead was accurate, and that he had started his gang war. The streets would be even less safe than they already were, and Batman knew he would have to shut it down.

"Um, excuse me?"

The quiet, timid voice behind him made him turn around in a flash, his cape swirling. Standing in front of him was a young girl with flaming red hair and glasses. She looked no older than 15, and he knew who she was. Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Captain James Gordon, possibly the only good cop in Gotham.

"Can I help you with that?" she asked, looking very awestruck. Batman's eyes narrowed.

"No," he said tersely, turning back. She glanced down, but then looked back up.

"Oh, you're hacking the National Criminal Database. Smart, but if you want to want to use it again without coming in here, you're going to need to hack into the intranet lines that provide the data."

He turned around to look at her. She held her laptop close to her chest, smiling slightly.

"They're located in the sewers under the building," she added cheerfully.

"This kind of knowledge could be dangerous for a young girl," Batman said grimly, making his way for the door. "You should hide."

"Wait!"

He stopped, turning back.

"Why do you do what you do?" she asked.

Batman paused. This girl was different from other people. Most were either afraid of him, or scorned him. This was the first time someone sounded like they were inspired by him.

"Because I made a promise," he answered.

At that moment, the sound of thudding boots on wooden floors came to their attention. Batman glanced up, seeing the silhouettes of several SWAT officers on the other side of the screen-wall. One of them tossed a tear gas grenade into the room.

"Get down!" Batman hissed as Barbara covered her mouth. He quickly leapt clear of their sight, opening a vent, and disappearing from the room. As he crawled through the ventilation, he could hear Barbara yelling at the cops, arguing that she had been there alone, talking on a webcam.

_That girl… she bears watching. She's too smart for her own good. But her heart seems to be in the right place._

"Alfred, I need to hack into the intranet lines under the GCPD," he said into his com. "Find me an entrance."

_"Locating one now, sir. There seems to be a manhole entrance into the sewers not two streets away. Do be careful down there, sir, with all the muck. Don't forget who has to clean your suit."_

* * *

**Spider-Man listened to the police scanner with one ear, the rest of his concentration focused on dealing with the small frays that had erupted over Gotham.**

Hammerhead had made his move. All of the various gangs were engaging in small tussles, with the undecided either press-ganged into service, or slaughtered. Vandalism was ripping through South Gotham, and Spider-Man didn't even want to think about what was happening across the PioneersBridge.

"I promise, I got smackdowns for all of you," he said, locking his arm around one man's neck, while kicking out at another. "You," he said, shooting a web and ensnaring another thug, "come here to I can multi-smite."

The fights weren't so bad, but they were getting bigger. On top of that, there were still the assassins out there, and Spidey was getting a little anxious at the lack of action coming from that quarter.

"Okay, got my smite on aaaaaand you're all out." He looked at his handiwork, feeling a sense of being overwhelmed. "Why do you guys have to do this? I mean, what has Hammerhead promised you? Why am I asking unconscious bad guys questions?"

"Probably because they won't even let you ask when they're awake."

Spider-Man spun around, taken completely by surprise. Instantly, his spider-sense went off, and he ducked under the swing of a sword.

"Oh, great," he groaned, flipping backwards, putting some distance between himself and his attacker. "I just got done beating on a ninja assassin with swords, I really don't…" But his half-thought-out joke died in his throat as he saw the identity of his attacker.

It was a woman, tall and lithe, clad in the close-fitting garb of a ninja. Her arms were bare, but a mask concealed the lower half of her face. But her eyes captivated him with their beauty, their dark enchantment enhanced by the brunette hair that flowed around her face and down her shoulders. He also couldn't help but notice her body was like that of a supermodel.

"Oh, hi," he said, also noticing the razor-sharp sword in her hands. "Please don't tell me you're an assassin."

"But I am," the ninja replied, her eyes narrowing, although which emotion, Spidey couldn't tell, as her mouth wasn't visible. "Is that a problem?"

"Only if your name is Shiva," Spidey said, recalling the intel he had gathered from listening to Black Masks' men. "Your… um, outfit matches her description."

"Ha!" laughed the woman, it wasn't a sardonic laugh, but one of genuine mirth. "You have learned much in a few hours. Indeed, I am a member of the same order as Shiva, but she is a lieutenant, while I am a lowly assassin."

"For a lowly assassin, you sure do talk a lot," Spider-Man observed, remembering his encounter with Elektra, and how tight-lipped she had been. "And I know talkative." The ninja laughed again. "Are you gonna attack me again?"

"No," she said, sheathing her sword, standing straight from her previous battle-pose. Spider-Man wasn't very short, but she came right up to his eye-line. She also stepped a little closer. "That was just to see if your reflexes were what they say."

"And… uh, are they?" Spidey asked, clearing his throat as she got nearer. Her body swayed with her walk, causing a loose piece of cloth to swish. She got right up to him, bringing her face up to his own.

"They are," she whispered, her voice low and seductive. "Of course, I wouldn't mind a further demonstration… of a more personal kind…"

Spider-Man's brain stalled. He might have met beautiful women before(and fought a few), but despite his ongoing monologue, he had always been shy around them. Only those like Mary Jane and Sue Storm had ever given him courage to even talk to them. But now, one of the most beautiful women he had ever met was flirting with him.

"Uh…" he stammered. "Uh… uh…" And he fell backwards, playing dead. She giggled, clasping her hands under her chin.

"You are very amusing, Spider-Man," she said, bending over and holding a hand out. "I'm glad you have not warranted attention from my order."

"Why's that?" he asked, accepting her hand, surprised by her strength as she pulled him to his feet. "Your order wouldn't happen to have Batman on their kill list, by any chance?"

"If I told you," she said, arching an eyebrow, "then I would have to kill you."

"Well, shoot," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "But, you are one of the good guys… right?" _Please be one of the good guys,_ he added in his mind.

"Our order is fervent in its battle against evil," she said, with a quiet passion. "For centuries have we fought and died against it. Now, however, our hour draws near. We will either rise victorious, or perish. That is why we have come to Gotham. To seek our enemies… and any allies we have."

"Oookaay," Spider-Man said slowly. "So that's a yes?" She nodded. "All right, well, I'm in Gotham… not sure, actually. But then the crap hit the fan, and I'm now in charge of crowd control. Which is a nice euphemism for stopping fights all over the city. Needless to say…" He spread his arms out. "I'm kinda alone out here."

"We saw your encounter with Batman," she said. "It seems the Dark Knight has his own way of doing things. We do wish to observe him further. Sh… Lady Shiva accepted the contract from Black Mask so that we could come and see if the rumors were true."

Spidey blinked, noticing how she corrected herself about Shiva. She was going to say her name, but added a further title to it. She seemed a little too relaxed to be a "lowly" assassin.

"Glad to know I'm the only one who cares about Spider-Man in Gotham," he mumbled, turning around. He could hear the sounds of another fight taking place, not too far off. "Hey, I'm just gonna go break this up, okay?"

"I will join you," she said brightly, and he nodded in agreement.

Not long after, they were rolling another random encounter, this time between Penguin's men and Falcone's. Spidey leapt in, dealing blows and trading quips as he went. The ninja, on the other hand, merely dodged attacks, diverting them, but seeming to focus more on what Spider-Man was doing.

_Well, I'm not against showing off._

But out of nowhere, something grazed against the side of his head. Pain erupted along the streak where he had felt the bullet graze his skull. He hadn't even heard the gunshot.

The last criminal, a man armed with a revolver, looked shocked as the ninja launched herself at him, kicking his legs out from under him, and slicing apart the pistol with her katana. She raised it high, and Spidey realized what she was going to do.

"No!" he yelled, jumping forward, grabbing her arm, preventing her from bringing it down on his head. The pain was causing his vision to swim, and he felt blood trickle down the side of his head. "Don't… don't kill him."

"Why not?" she hissed back angrily. "He is scum! He hurt you."

"And… I appreciate the reaction…" he said, struggling against her, trying to stay conscious. "But… I can't let you… kill him…"

"Evil doesn't care if their opponents live or die!" she whispered back. "He would have killed you without a second thought!"

"But I… wouldn't have killed him… without a second thought," Spidey replied, fighting her and the growing darkness. "That's… the difference… between me… and him… why good… is different from evil…"

His grip slackened, and he felt himself falling, falling, but not landing.

He dreamed that a soft comfort was enveloping him, and that smooth shackles encompassed him, not binding, but protecting. He felt the pain disappear from his head, from his body, and peace overtook him. Through the misty haze of his vision, he thought he dreamed of the ninja, whose name he didn't even know, except he could see her whole face, which was every bit as beautiful as her eyes. Her eyes seemed concerned, sad.

_Don't be sad,_ he thought. _You have so much to live for. _And her gaze softened, a smile spreading.

_I'm not sad,_ her voice seemed to say to him. _All I have to live for… is you._

* * *

Heh heh heh. This is going to be fun. I love my job.


	6. ANNOUNCEMENT

Hey guys. I have a major announcement to make concerning my time here on this fine website.

I am retiring.

Now before you raise the pitchforks and torches at me, let me explain. I am not leaving the website. I will remain and continue to read stories, as well as beta-read. But I will no longer be writing any more stories. I may occasionally produce a one-shot every once in a while, but all of my current stories are being discontinued. Now let me tell you why.

Recently, I took stock of my life, especially about where it was going. I realized that I needed to make some changes, and fan fiction was one of them. I can't keep producing it like it's a job, otherwise I will lose sight of what is really important for me. There are things I need to do, and I can't keep doing this. So, I am stopping. But before I end, I do want to say one thing.

You guys rock. Thank you so much, for all the love and support. In three years and 23 stories, I only ever received one flame review. The rest have been encouraging, supporting, and constructively critiqueing. I appreciate that, and I love you guys so much for it.

Now, having said that, I now need to address what will happen to my current fics. They are all up for adoption to anyone who wants them. Just let me know, and they're yours.

**Hand In Hand: **This started out as a decent story, and I had some relatively great things planned for it. It quickly degenerated into porn. Into yuri porn at that. I got rid of two of the main(male) characters just so I could write some hentai. Honestly, I'm a little disgusted with myself. I haven't finished the last few chapters, and I don't plan to. However, if anyone wants it, have at it. It's yours.

**SPIDER-MAN: Ultimatum: **This was my baby last year, which fizzled out because of virtually no support for it. I loved it, and I would have loved to finish it. But alas, it was not to be. It is basically a retelling of Spider-Man from Civil War to Superior Spider-Man. I had several arcs planned for after Grim Hunt(which is where I stopped), so if anyone wants it, let me know.

**ARKHAM WEB: Origins: **Gah, I love this one. Especially since I introduced Peter's love interest, which was Talia Al Ghul, by the way. Her story was that she pretends to be a lowly assassin so that she can escape the life that her father has laid out for her. Origins was going to end more or less the same way as the game, with the exception of Deadpool's involvement, Spider-Man and Batman teaming up after Royal Hotel, and Deathstroke helping them at Blackgate. The sequel, set in Arkham City, would have been much different from the game. Norman Osborne would have been the big baddie behind Strange, and Venom would have supplied the cure for the TITAN disease.

**Road Trip: **This was supposed to be the sequel to Chauffeur, my most popular story ever. However, I decided not to pursue it. It's up for grabs as well. It's mainly comedic crap.

**MARVEL: Night Of Requiem: **My AU, which is also one of my favorite stories. I'd love to finish it, but alas. Here's how it would have gone down. Ben Parker(Reilly) would have shown up, suffering from memory loss. Peter takes him in, trying to help him out. They all think he killed Fury, but they don't blame him for it, as he was under Hydra brainwashing at the time. Sharon Carter restarts S.H.I.E.L.D., but Steve Rogers doesn't like the direction she's taking it in. He takes the remaining Level Tens and calls them "Avengers," to deal with the Hand and Hydra, remembering Fury's death. Turns out, Fury was killed by Peter and Ben's older brother, Richard Parker II, who has adopted their father's code name: Kaine. He is suffering from cellular degeneration due to side effects from S3. He kills Silver Sable. Peter kills him, but realizes that he needs to change. He joins the Avengers, proposing to Natasha on the spot, determined never to waste another moment again. She accepts. I wasn't sure how the whole World War Three thing was going to turn out, but hey, that's up to you guys.

**Supernatural: Black Hunter: **This was intended to by the sequel to Black Butler: His Butler, Supernatural. I never started it, but hey, once again... it's up for grabs.

**Ultimate Teen Titans: **And here we are. My favorite fan fiction series of all time. Hopefully, some of you feel the same way. I put this one up for adoption before, but returned. Not so this time. I know I pissed some of you off with the reboot, but hey, now the torch passes to you. You don't even need to continue the series, just write stories based in this universe. I'd love to see it continued(and for Peter and Raven to get back together!).

Once again, I am sorry, and I thank you. All of you. You made it so worth it. I hope that some of you will take the torch I pass, and continue on. And if I think of any good challenges, I'll post them to my profile. But once again, and for the last time...

Thank you, and good night.


	7. ADOPTED!

Hey y'all! I'm here for this particular story to tell you that it has been adopted! Drumroll please...

_(drumroll)_

**gunman!**

He's one of the better fan fic authors I've met, and I'm glad he's taking it on. Check him out, if you want to know how this tale ends!


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